


A warm embrace

by syusuke



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/F, Injured Character, Medical Procedures, Medical Professionals, Past Violence, lesbian couple, morning fluff, recovering character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-24 09:09:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13808049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syusuke/pseuds/syusuke
Summary: When Beth woke up, the other side of the bed was empty.





	A warm embrace

She woke up, because it was freezing.  
The bed beside her was empty and the window wide open. She stretched languidly and then with the blanket around her shoulders went to search for Lia. It was quite common for her to get up hours before Beth.

Beth yawned widely. She would really prefer to just lounge around in bed. But why lie there alone? As she peeked around the corner, she spotted Lia on the couch. Her girlfriend was dozing, a light blanket tucked around her tightly and at least five different pillows building a perfect nest. A novel was still clutched in her left hand, resting on her chest. It was a german book. Beth couldn’t understand the title, but she remembered that it had something to do with medical science. Beth couldn’t suppress a smirk. Her girlfriend, it still sounded so new and exciting. The woman before her was a couple years older, a little too skinny, long brown hair not quite covering the deep bags under her eyes. She was too pale to look healthy. She seemed so fragile and small all huddled up in the middle of the couch. Beth could see two thick veins standing out on her right arm, she could still see the infusions in her mind, all the tubes and needles. She shook her head violently, desperately trying to get the images out. 

“Sweetie, come here.”

It took a second for Beth to register the words. When she looked up, she was drawn to tired blue eyes. Never failed to amaze her, how alive she felt. Lia looked at her as if she was the most precious thing in the whole world. Beth leaned down for a kiss. It was a sweet soft touch of lips. Bony fingers held her face in place, thumbs gently wiping her tears away. She hadn’t even realized, she started crying. Beth carefully climbed over her lover, only breaking the kiss to breathe.

“Did I wake you up?”

Lia shrugged and snuggled close to her. Beth hugged her close. She buried her nose in brown hair and inhaled deeply. Lia felt cold and a little sweaty. She rubbed some warmth into her hands, stopping at the wrist. 1,2,3,4,5.... 65. That was good. 65 was good for a resting pulse.   
She felt a soft touch of lips at her throat.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry. I took the meds. Just couldn’t sleep, didn’t wanna wake you.”

Beth took a shaky breath. She had almost lost her. She’d almost.. if the ambulance had come any later.. if she hadn’t come home early... She tightened her grip on Lia, pressing kiss after kiss on the top of her head. She felt the tickle of hair, the warm huffs of breath on her throat, the small hands running up and down her back.

“I’m here. Everything’s okay. Calm down. I’m not gonna leave. Gonna stay and cuddle with you. Gonna hold you tight. It’s fine. I’ll be back to normal soon. Just need some time to heal up. It’s gonna be fine.”

“I’m sorry. Shoulda stayed home.”

“No! Don’t do that. Don’t you ever do that. I was stupid and careless. I opened the door, I let him in.”

Beth was still shaking with tears. In her sleep she had been so peaceful, she had forgotten about the big bump and the new stitches Lia had hidden under her hair. She had forgotten the robber. She had forgotten how she came home to a wide open door, her girlfriend unconscious on the floor, blood pooling around her. Forgotten about the night she had anxiously waited in the hospital, before she was allowed to see her and wait by her bedside. She had been hooked up to two different infusions, a breathing mask on and her face covered in bruises all black and blue. It was exactly two weeks ago now and Lia did better every day. Beth still felt guilt that she left her alone, because she had to work so much. But there’s no way that she could take any more time off, she was a surgeon after all and she felt a duty to work.

“Beth? Sweetie, you with me?”

She let go. Beth planted a last kiss slightly below the stitches. She wordlessly got up, pulling Lia with her. The tears had stopped, but she still felt raw and exposed. Luckily, Lia understood. She turned on the TV on a low volume and cuddled up to Beth again, dragging the blankets with her. They rearranged blankets and pillows for a few seconds, before settling into their nest, tangled up in each other. Soft touches, warmth, whispered affirmations. There was nothing more needed.

**Author's Note:**

> What can I say?
> 
> I tried it once without defining the gender of the partner.. and then I just.. I had to.  
> Unfortunately there isn't all that much about lesbian couples, so I might have to change that.


End file.
